<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>The Way To A Man's Heart Sometimes Has A Few Detours by mellojello999</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25350349">The Way To A Man's Heart Sometimes Has A Few Detours</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mellojello999/pseuds/mellojello999'>mellojello999</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Akaashi is a customer, Alternate Universe - Alternian Invasion, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops &amp; Cafés, Baker Bokuto, Fluff, Getting Together, Love Confessions, M/M, MSBY all work at the coffee shop together, failed flirting</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:13:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,069</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25350349</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/mellojello999/pseuds/mellojello999</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Bokuto is a baker at the MSBY coffee shop, where he spies Akaashi, a very good looking patron whom he has a crush on. He wants to confess his feelings and ends up following the wrong person's advice.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Minor or Background Relationship(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>MSBY Exchange</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Way To A Man's Heart Sometimes Has A Few Detours</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/aiviloti/gifts">aiviloti</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>disclaimer: I don't actually understand how to write Atsumu's speech pattern...</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Bokuto enjoyed waking up early. When he was younger waking up early meant that he got to watch TV before having to go to school or having to do chores. Saturday morning cartoons were the best, and they still are! In high school waking up early meant that he got a very fulfilling morning workout and practice before having to go to classes. Now that he was an adult, doing a job that he loved, waking up early meant going to the coffee shop to kick off a wonderful day of baking pastries and other goods. He’s met bakers who despite their love for the craft loathe dragging themselves out of bed at the crack of dawn but he rather enjoyed it. He was always excited to bake and work in a shop with all his friends!</p><p>“Good morning everybody!” Bokuto calls when he walks through the door.</p><p>“Good morning Bokuto!” Called his tangerine friend from behind the counter.</p><p>“Hinata! Good morning!” Bokuto replied.</p><p>“Ugh, how do the two of you have so much energy this early in the morning??” Griped Atsumu. “I can’t believe that I got stuck with the morning shift…”</p><p>“What do you mean Tsum-Tsum! This is the best shift, we get to see so many customers coming through, and we get to set everything up and start all the coffee! It's awesome!” Atsumu just grumbled in response.</p><p>“Maybe if you spent less time complaining we would already be ready to open up,” Sakusa said.<br/>
Seeing that all of his friends were getting along and today looked like another wonderful day, Bokuto made his way to the kitchen to start baking.</p><p>----</p><p>Later, Bokuto swung open the door to the front (gently this time, after what happened last time) with a tray full of pastries ready for the display. As much as he loved baking he didn't get to interact with the customers very often, changing the pastries was one of his only chances to see what was going on in the front. Letting his gaze roam around the shop he was very pleased to see it full of people.</p><p>That’s when he spotted Him by the cash register.</p><p>A man that was more gorgeous than any other man he had ever seen in his life. He wore a simple cardigan and plain black glasses but Bokuto could tell that underneath he was a rare beauty. He found himself rooted to the spot as he watched him walk up to the register to order a drink from Hinata.</p><p>Bokuto watched this elegant man order and tried to follow him with his eyes as he joined the crowd of people.</p><p>Hinata noticed Bokuto standing there and followed his gaze to the man's retreating form.</p><p>“Akaashi’s pretty cool, huh Bokuto? I think he started working around here or something, he comes here pretty often nowadays.” Hinata said. Bokuto merely hummed in response while keeping Akaashi in his sight. He had only seen this person for one minute but he felt like he wanted to see them for many more minutes. Maybe for hours, possibly days, and if he was allowed to hope, forever.</p><p>“Do you know him?” Bokuto questioned, finally registering the familiar way Hinata talked about Akaashi.</p><p>“Sort of, I met him once because he’s friends with Tsukishima.”</p><p>“Really? Huh, small world. What uh, did he order, by the way?”</p><p>“One of those strong black coffees off our secret menu,” Hinata answered, sticking out his tongue in distaste. An interesting choice, Bokuto thought as he moved down the bar. Even though Akaashi looked very calm and composed a drink like that suggested that he was a workaholic that was just on the edge of doing drugs to stay awake and work. Bokuto didn't know anyone who drank that drink for pleasure, they had it on the menu more as a joke. He spied Atsumu making the drink.</p><p>“Tsum-Tsum, can I call for this drink please?” Atsumu just gave Bokuto a look.</p><p>“Dude, I know ya get lonely in the back but I got in trouble last time. Maybe if ya were normal I’d letcha.” Atsumu replied as he worked.</p><p>“Pleeeeeaaaasse.” Bokuto pouted. “I promise I’m not going to do what I did last time. I’m just going to call the name, like normal! Promise” Bokuto clasped his hands together and gave Atsumu his best puppy dog eyes. Atsumu could deny it all he wanted, but even he was not immune to such tactics. He tried to just avoid looking at Bokuto but the immense pressure he felt from the two wide eyes staring at him inches from his face caused him to break.</p><p>“Alright, alright. Do what ya want. But if Meian gets mad at us ya better take the blame.”</p><p>“No problemo” Bokuto agreed and proceeded to stand right beside Atsumu and watch him while he made the drink.</p><p>“Uhh, don’t you have to go back to the kitchen or something?”</p><p>“Nope. Adriah is watching the bakes, I can wait until you are done.” And Bokuto stuck right next to Atsumu and watched him with keen eyes while he finished the drink.</p><p>“Here, now get away from me” Bokuto happily takes the cup and practically skips to the counter</p><p>“Akaaaaashiiii?!?” Bokuto yells into the shop. A few of the customers waiting for their coffee jump at the noise and Atsumu and Sakusa cringe behind the bar. Bokuto’s bright eyes scanned the crowd until they landed on the black-haired beauty approaching him. Peeking at him from behind Hinata’s shoulder was almost nothing compared to having him walking directly towards Bokuto. Bokuto had been planning on saying something to him. Something witty and cool so that this man would want to stay and talk more, but at that moment Bokuto was frozen with the coffee cup in his hand.</p><p>“--me?” Bokuto snapped to attention when he realized this guy was saying something.</p><p>“Sorry what?”</p><p>“Is that for Akaashi?” He said, pointing to the cup. Being talked to directly was going to make Bokuto’s brain melt.</p><p>“Uh, um. Yes! Yes, it is…” He stammered. Akaashi just smiled politely and took the cup before walking away, leaving Bokuto behind with his hand still outstretched. He was so much more beautiful up close. His eyes so sparkly, his eyelashes so long! That was a face that Bokuto wasn't going to forget anytime soon.</p><p>“Bokkun, Earth to Bokuto.” He looked to the side and realized Atsumu was standing right there giving him a funny look. “What’s wrong with ya? Why’re ya just standin’ here? Go back to the kitchen already!” Bokuto nodded and hurried away.</p><p>Even though his encounter with Akaashi was already 30 minutes ago, he couldn’t help but feel a little giddy thinking about it. That Akaashi… Bokuto wanted to know him more.</p><p>“What’s up with you? You went out there to replace the pastry case and came back with a dopier than usual grin on your face” Tomas finally said. Bokuto looked up from the dough he was kneading and grinned.</p><p>“I don’t know, I saw an interesting customer I suppose”</p><p>---</p><p>After that first encounter, Bokuto couldn’t stop thinking about Akaashi. Hinata had said that he started coming to this shop because it was on his way to work, and Bokuto couldn’t wait to see him again. But what would he do the next time he saw him? He wanted to talk to him, so much that he was more restless than usual, but at the same time, he had no idea what to say.</p><p>Sakusa was sitting in the breakroom with a mug of tea nestled in one hand and his phone in the other. He wasn’t doing anything, just kind of sitting there without moving or saying anything to anyone with that ever-present crease in between his eyebrows. One would think that he probably wanted to be alone during his break but Bokuto saw it as the perfect opportunity to engage him.</p><p>“Omi-omi! I’m glad you’re here, are you having a nice break? I hope you are because I have a teensy weensy little question I wanna ask you” Boktuo asked, or told Sakusa before he jumped into his question without any approval from the man. “You see. There’s a guy that I saw. We didn’t talk much but I think I really like him. What should I do?”</p><p>Sakusa looked up from his phone. Bokuto couldn’t see the bottom half of his face hidden under the mask but the tilt of his eyebrows and glare in his eyes indicated that he wasn’t exactly interested in a conversation, not that Bokuto ever cared. “Why are you asking me? I don’t care.” Sakusa grumbled.</p><p>Bokuto tried to make the biggest, most teary puppy eyes that he could. Sakusa subtly leaned away from him.</p><p>“Okay. I’ll tell you one thing, and it's more for the sake of this other guy than your own.” Sakusa leveled Bokuto with a hard stare “You are a very... special type of person, and I think that it is important that for anyone you are interested in that you are open about who are you”</p><p>Bokuto cocked his head to the side, not exactly understanding what Sakusa meant.</p><p>“He’s saying that you should just be yourself. Albeit it in a pretty rude way, but that’s basically what he is saying.” said Meian, who had been watching the exchange with amusement. “It’s like, if you want him to like you for you, you should just act like yourself. No use in making him think you are different than you are. You know, like people usually try to do in romcoms and stuff.”</p><p>“Ah… I see.” Bokuto says with a thoughtful look.</p><p>“Now I know what you are probably thinking, that some grand romantic movie gesture would be nice but that’s what I'm saying you shouldn't do. I think it would be best if you just talk to him, outside of work hours of course. That’s usually what works best in cases like this.”</p><p>“Hmmm, okay. You’re probably right.” Bokuto says, rubbing his chin. “Thanks for the advice!” and he bounds away.</p><p>“You watch rom-coms Meian?” Sakusa asks.</p><p>“Yes, I do. Now shut up.”</p><p>---</p><p>During the afternoon of the next day Bokuto runs into Atsumu “I see you’ve finally come to me for advice.” he says.</p><p>“Well, not really. I’m on break, I just need to squeeze right by you here, whoops! Sorry! There we go” Bokuto says as he shimmies his body around Atsumu.</p><p>“No- wait. Aren’t ya in need of a little advice? Don’tcha have a little problem on yer hands??” Atsumu questions.</p><p>Bokuto thinks to himself. “Well. I am misplacing my favorite hand towel all the time, do you have any adv-”</p><p>“No! I’m talking about-” Atsumu bursts out before taking a deep breath and continuing in a calmer voice “I’m talking about that guy that ya like. The one with the glasses and the caffeine addiction? I heard ya talkin’ ta Omi-kun and Meian yesterday”</p><p>“Oh! Akaashi!” Bokuto looked at Atsumu with a blank expression and tilted his head to the side “You want to give me advice on how to ask him out?”</p><p>Atsumu made an annoyed huff. “Of course that’s what I’m saying, why do you sound so surprised?”</p><p>“I just didn’t know you were good with this kind of thing.”</p><p>“I’ll have you know that I had a lotta fans in high school!”</p><p>“But didn’t Shugo get mad at you just yesterday for saying something super rude to a customer?”</p><p>“That… was a special case. Trust me Bokkun, I can totally teach you how to talk to him and eventually get a date with him. I guarantee it.”</p><p>“Hmmm, well, thanks for offering, but I already asked Shugo and Omi, They said the straightforward approach would be best.”</p><p>“What? And you agree? But that’s so boring…” Atsumu said, pouting. “Here’s the thing Bokkun, you barely know this guy, don’t you think that it would be best to convey to him how romantic you can be?” seeing that Bokuto was still skeptical Atsumu added, “I used to get at least a hundred valentines every year in high school, trust me on this.”</p><p>And against Bokuto’s better judgment, he did.</p><p>---</p><p>“Here is what I am gonna do for ya because I am the coolest guy in this joint. You’ve never seen that guy come in because yer always in the back but glasses always comes in here with this dude with long hair who looks like he never sleeps. This is important because they are always talking about manga deadlines and books and whatever. Do ya know what that means for us?”</p><p>“He… likes books?” Bokuto guessed.</p><p>“Yes. And?”</p><p>“Uh, they read books together?”</p><p>“Well, they might, but that’s not what I’m talkin’ about. That means that that’s a topic of conversation. Next time ya give him his drink, maybe try and talk about some book or something. What was the last book ya read Bokkun?”</p><p>“101 Pastries From Around The World.”</p><p>“No, not like a recipe book, like a reading book.”</p><p>“Oh. well. I don’t remember, it’s been a few years then I guess.”</p><p>“Okay, not a problem. You can only really talk to him for like, 4 minutes anyway. Just pick a book that makes you sound interesting and mention it to him. We want to plant a seed for more interaction, you get me?”</p><p>“Yea, I think I understand. I’ll give it a try!”</p><p>“Okay. Good. If he’s on time today he’s gonna come in about half an hour, make sure ya come out so you can give him his drink.”</p><p>---</p><p>Sure enough, half an hour later Bokuto peeked out from the back and spotted Akaashi with a long-haired short guy ordering his drink. Now that Bokuto was looking at him, Akaashi did seem like the smart type that likes to read books and stuff. Good thing Bokuto spent the last half an hour thinking about which book would make him sound the smartest.</p><p>Once Atsumu made the drink and signaled him to take it Bokuto was once again at the counter calling out.</p><p>“AKAAASHII!” Bokuto called out, just saying his name made Bokuto all giddy. When Akaashi came up to grab his drink, he offered Bokuto a kind smile and Bokuto decided it was the perfect time to strike up a conversation.</p><p>“So. You like books?” He asks with a grin. Akaashi doesn’t answer immediately, but when he realizes that Bokuto was talking to him he blinks.</p><p>“Oh, yes. You could say that.”</p><p>“I do a little reading myself. Just finished up a very good book the other day.” Bokuto tries to boast.</p><p>“Oh? That sounds... nice.” Akaashi answers, sounding a little confused.</p><p>“Yup! It was the encyclopedia. Only took me 2 days to finish.” Bokuto says proudly. He had never read the encyclopedia, but what book could make him sound smarter than the encyclopedia? Akaashi probably thought he was some kind of genius.</p><p>“Which volume?”</p><p>Bokuto blinks “Huh?”</p><p>“Which volume of the encyclopedia did you read? Or did you read all 22 volumes of it?” Bokuto started to sweat a little bit. Were… were there multiple books in the encyclopedia?</p><p>“Um. Yes,” he answered lamely.</p><p>“Yes to…” Akaashi asked, cocking one of his brows.</p><p>“Just uh, yes! I read it and it was very good! I hope you enjoy your coffee!” And with that Bokuto waved his hand and slipped away, acting like he had to attend to other customers when he didn’t even work at the front.</p><p>He hurries into the kitchen and slam the door behind him, coming face to face with Tomas and Barnes. They were chatting with each other while Tomas applied glaze to the pastries, but the pause to give him an odd look for his forceful entrance.</p><p>“Is the encyclopedia more than one book?” Bokuto asks.</p><p>Barnes looks at him with his usual gentle smile and a furrowed brow.</p><p>“The encyclopedia is about 22 books I think. And they make new editions all the time. Why?”</p><p>Bokuto’s brain stalls a little at that information. “Could someone say, read a whole volume in 2 days?”</p><p>“I mean, maybe if they skimmed super fast for two days straight, and it was the smallest volume in the set.” Tomas answers. He squints at Bokuto. “Why do you ask?”</p><p>“Oh, no reason…” Bokuto mumbles. “I have to uh, check on the oven.”</p><p>---</p><p>“So here’s the next thing we are gonna try, super easy but highly effective.” Atsumu holds out a pen to Bokuto. “When he comes and orders his drink yer going to write something cute on the cup and leave yer number. Easy right? Didja look up cool pick up lines on the internet like I told ya?”</p><p>“Yup! There were some really good ones, I even made up my own!” Bokuto said.</p><p>Atsumu grimaced. “Yeah, okay. How about you just stick to the ones on the internet, I’m not sure if we can trust what goes on inside that head of yers.” Bokuto nodded, that sounded reasonable to him. Maybe he’d just save those lines he made for later. Atsumu checks the clock.</p><p>“It’s almost about that time that he comes in, get the cup ready and I’ll make sure to pass it to you when I finish making his drink.”</p><p>Bokuto took the pen and got ready to write on the cup. But while he was thinking about which pick up he should use, his mind wandered his workout yesterday. He had felt more pumped than usual and hit a new record for how much he could squat. He should try and include that in his pick up line, shouldn’t he. He knows he just decided to save his originals for later, but this one he just came up with would make him sound so cool… And Bokuto quickly scribbled his line along with his phone number on the cup and handed it to Atsumu.</p><p>Atsumu made the drink and passed it back to Bokuto who was waiting by the pick-up.</p><p>“AKAAAAAAASHIIIIII” he called.</p><p>When Akaashi approached, Bokuto handed him his cup with a wink, just like Atsumu said. Akaashi gave him a blank look before walking away with his cup. Bokuto couldn’t help the excitement that bubbled up in his chest, he wouldn’t get a chance to see Akaashi read his message but he figured that he would get a text from him sooner or later. Just the thought made him giggle with glee.</p><p>---</p><p>Bokuto was once again moping in the breakroom.</p><p>“What’s got you down this time, Bokuto?” Asked Tomas. Bokuto released a dramatic sigh before answering.</p><p>“I haven’t gotten a text from Akaashi…”</p><p>“Akaashi? that customer you’ve got a crush on?”</p><p>Bokuto grunts an affirmative and distractedly draws circles on the tabletop with his finger. “I took Atsumu’s advice and wrote him a note with my number on his cup… but he didn’t text me…”</p><p>“Well… maybe he didn’t see it?”</p><p>“No, he saw it,” Atsumu says as he enters the room. “I saw him take a long look at it before he walked out, no doubt he read the message. What did ya write on the cup anyway?” Atsumu said, sounding so exasperated.</p><p>“I wrote. ‘I can crush a watermelon between my thighs, a human head is sort of like a watermelon’ and added a little winky face at the end” Bokuto mumbled. Tomas couldn't help the sudden burst of laughter that escaped him but managed to tone it down to muffled giggles when he saw Bokuto’s deflating form.</p><p>“I shoulda checked. I shoulda checked, what I was thinkin’…” Atsumu mumbled.</p><p>“Bokuto! What made you come up with that!” Tomas asked, slowly regaining his composure.</p><p>Bokuto shrugged. “I looked at a bunch of lines like Tsum-Tsum said, and they were pretty funny and I thought it would be even better if I wrote my own, you know?”</p><p>“Bokuto, pick up lines are usually like, funny or a compliment or something suggestive. What made ya think that crushing someone’s head between yer thighs was any of those things?!“ Atsumu asked in disbelief.</p><p>“What do you mean! I implied that I would like to have his head between my thighs! That’s kind of suggestive isn’t it?” Bokuto sounded desperate but the sound of Tomas trying to hold back another round of laughter only confirmed that maybe his line wasn’t as good as he thought.</p><p>“No Bokuto, you basically implied that you could crush his head with your legs, which in my opinion, sounds like some kind of threat! And unless he’s somehow into that kind of stuff, he’s not going to know you were flirting!”</p><p>“Oh…” Bokuto said, a little discouraged.</p><p>Atsumu sighed. “Don’t get down on yourself Bokkun. I’m sure he’ll come back, and when he does we’ll try my next plan.” and he gave Bokuto a firm pat on the back.</p><p>---</p><p>“Okay. So the last idea did not work. But that wasn’t a very good idea anyway, here is where we start pulling out the big guns.” Atsumu put a hand on Bokuto’s shoulder. “This is gonna take a little more prep though. As a baker, pick out a pastry that you think he’d like, something that would suit him and give it to him for free the next time he comes around. I honestly don’t know why I didn’t think of this sooner, the best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, as they always say. And you are the best man for the job, a star baker if I ever knew one!”</p><p>Bokuto’s eyes lit up. “That’s a really good idea! And to think I doubted you, Tsum-Tsum.”</p><p>Atsumu huffed. “Yea, yea, now go get busy.”</p><p>And for the rest of the day, Bokuto thought about what kind of pastry would suit Akaashi the best. He usually only came here for a coffee, a really strong one at that, which hinted to Bokuto that Akaashi needed the coffee more out of necessity than enjoyment. That made it hard to try and discern what kind of flavors he liked. He decided to just start going through recipe books and let his baker’s intuition decide which pastry was going to make Akaashi fall in love with him.</p><p>---</p><p>The next day, when Akaashi came in, Bokuto was already ready by the entrance to the kitchen with his special gift packaged in a cute little bag. By now all the employees at MSBY Cafe knew about Bokuto’s mission and all the barista’s had their eyes on him when Atsumu handed him Akaashi’s order with a nod</p><p>“AKAASHI” Bokuto yelled. The more he said the name the more he liked it and hoped that he could say it in a more intimate setting. Maybe over dinner or on a date or something. Man, that would be so awesome, him and Akaashi spending time together and eating together… He was snapped out of his daydream by the object of his affection standing right in front of him clearing his throat. Bokuto snapped up, standing with his spine super straight and held the drink out to Akaashi.</p><p>“Thank you,” Akaashi said, reaching for his drink and was about to turn away when Bokuto stopped him.</p><p>“Actually, I have something else for you today.” And he put the package on the counter and pushed it toward Akaashi. “You’re a regular at this shop and so I wanted to offer you a little extra today. It's a walnut cardamom pastry, and I thought that it would suit your tastes.” Bokuto hoped that it didn’t sound like he had poured through all of his books looking for the perfect recipe. Even though that is exactly what he did, he didn’t want Akaashi to think that was too overboard. He wanted to look effortlessly cool.</p><p>“Did you say walnut?” Akaashi looked a little hesitant.</p><p>“Yes!” Bokuto answered with a grin. It was not something they usually sold, but Bokuto was convinced that Akaashi would like it.</p><p>“Oh.. well, thank you!” He gave Bokuto one last tight smile before walking away. Bokuto could feel himself vibrate from excitement, just imagining the face Akaashi would make when he bit into that pastry sent a tingle up his spine. Just like Atsumu said, Bokuto would get Akaashi’s heart through his stomach, he just knew it!</p><p>---</p><p>“Bokuto, did you say you gave Akaashi a walnut pastry?” Hinata asked the next day.</p><p>“Yea, why?”</p><p>“Tsukishima told me to tell you that it was delicious” </p><p>“Huh? Why did Tsukishima eat the pastry?” Bokuto blurted out, a little upset that it wasn’t Akaashi asking Hinata to pass him the compliment.</p><p>“I guess Akaashi is allergic to them… and he gave it to Tsukishima when they met up yesterday,” Hinata said with a sheepish smile.</p><p>Bokuto’s shoulders sagged at the news.</p><p>“Really? I thought I picked out the perfect recipe…” This not only felt like a blow to his heart, but also to his pride as a baker…</p><p>“It’s not your fault Bokuto! You couldn’t have known that Akaashi was allergic. And besides! Tsukishima said it was really good!” Hinata said to console him, but Bokuto didn’t feel much better. He had felt so certain that his pastry was the best one for Akaashi. And Akaashi didn’t even say that he was allergic, he just took it and gave it to someone else! In all honesty in this situation, Bokuto didn’t care what Tsukishima had to say about a pastry that wasn't even for him in the first place.</p><p>---</p><p>Bokuto sat in the break room completely dejected. Ever since his big mistake, he had been moping around the shop and avoided going to the front. He couldn’t even bear to peek at Akaashi through the window in the kitchen door. He wouldn't admit it, but he was trying to avoid seeing Akaashi again, if he was even still coming to the shop. He had offered him a deadly pastry for crying out loud, he couldn’t blame Akaashi if he never set foot in this cafe ever again! What if he had accidentally killed Akaashi! Just the thought made him want to hide in a corner and not talk to anybody ever again. Sakusa eyes his droopy form as he stirred his drink.</p><p>“This is your own fault. Why would you ever listen to anything Atsumu has to say?” He drawls.</p><p>“I’m going to have to agree with Sakusa on this one” Inunaki comments. “I don’t think that Atsumu has ever been able to flirt with someone who wasn’t already blinded by his looks. Or actually, have you ever actively flirted with <i>anyone</i> successfully?” Inunaki says to Atsumu, who was directing all of his attention to a package label in his hands and does not answer.</p><p>Bokuto shrugs, “I just really wanted Akaashi to like me...”</p><p>Sakusa sighed. “See what you did, Miya. My advice would have worked much better.”</p><p>“Hey! My ideas weren’t bad! How were any of us supposed to know that he wouldn’t like the gift that Bokuto picked out ‘specially for him, huh? ”</p><p>“Well, if you hadn’t butted in and Bokuto just talked to Akaashi, maybe he would have known about his allergies by now!” Sakusa countered.</p><p>“Here’s what I think,” Inunaki interjected. “Why doesn’t Bokuto ask Shouyou for advice? He’s got a solid boyfriend and I even think Shouyou first met him when he was a customer. Ask someone who has some real experience in this type of stuff, right Shouyou? You were the one to make a move on Kageyama, right?”</p><p>“Yup, sure did! I count that as my first win between us, getting him to go out with me” Hinata answers, beaming and looking very proud of himself.</p><p>“Perfect. Now how did you do it?” Inunaki continues. Hinata's proud grin falls and his brow furrows as he tries to think.</p><p>“Uhh, well. Now that you mention it, I’m not sure what I did.” Bokuto heard a smack beside him and when he turned to look Inunaki had his head in his hands. “Hey! He went out with me, didn’t he? We are in a relationship, aren’t we? So I’d say I was pretty successful” Hinata replied indignantly.</p><p>“But don’t you remember what you said to him, Hinata? Weren’t you guys like, not very friendly with each other?”</p><p>“Oh yeah! But I went up to him anyway and said 'You look really pretty, would you like to go out with me?'”</p><p>Meian chuckled. “So blunt.”</p><p>“And that worked? Simple as that?” Tomas asked in disbelief.</p><p>“Yea! Now that we’ve been together for a while I’ve realized that Kageyama maybe smart but he is a little dumb. It was probably good that it was so direct because he might not have understood otherwise.” He turned to Bokuto “So I think it would be worth a shot if you just tried to talk to him!”</p><p>Tomas puts a hand on Bokuto’s shoulder. “And have some confidence. If he’s been coming back even after that last little incident, then there might be more hope for you than you think.”</p><p>Bokuto perked up a little at that. Akaashi wasn’t so mad about his failed attempts at flirting that he stopped coming to the shop? He could feel the haze on his mood start to lift as he was filled with determination to give this crush he had one more shot.</p><p>---</p><p>When Bokuto brought out the pastries for the first time in days, he spied Akaashi sitting beside the huge window in the front of the shop. Even after avoiding for days Akaashi’s beauty never failed to make him stop and gaze in wonder. Especially on this nice day the sunlight that shone through the windows highlighted the edges of his form and cast a halo around him. Bokuto was convinced that he was looking at an angel.</p><p>“Well, are you going to go talk to him?” Hinata asked, nudging Bokuto with his elbow. Bokuto took one glance at him and saw Hinata’s expectant look and the way that he was bouncing on the tips of his toes. His excitement only made Bokuto’s excitement skyrocket.</p><p>“I really want to. Do you think it's okay? I don’t have anything cool to say…”</p><p>Hinata just shook his head. “No, it might be better if you go over without anything planned. Just tell him that you would like to get to know him more and ask him out! Be direct, so he can’t misunderstand!” Bokuto was amazed, Hinata who had been his kouhai here at the coffee shop was now giving him advice. If he wasn’t already so involved with his current situation he might have teared up a little more at his growth. But instead, he gave a firm nod.</p><p>“Yes, firm and direct. Got it.” And he marched over there, brimming with confidence up until he came face to face with the object of his affections. He fidgeted for a moment while he waited for Akaashi to notice that he was standing there, it seemed so rude to just waltz over her and interrupt him but he didn’t have to wait for long. Akaashi soon noticed the presence beside him and turned to Bokuto, raising his eyebrows.</p><p>Bokuto cleared his throat.</p><p>“Hi.” And they look at each other for another moment.</p><p>“Hello.” He responds. Bokuto scrambles for something to say. Something to break the ice, ease into a conversation so he can get to his point…</p><p>“So, you like coffee huh?” He blurts out. Akaashi gives him a blank look before responding.</p><p>“Yes, I do. I come to this shop to buy one pretty much everyday.”</p><p>“Me too!’</p><p>Akaashi's mouth quirks into a smile. “Don’t you work here?”</p><p>“Oh! So you remember me!” Bokuto says with a grin of his own.</p><p>“I should hope so, you did give me that pastry the last time I was here, after all.”</p><p>Oh. that’s right. “Yea. haha. I’m the baker here you see!” Bokuto says with a little pride before he gets shy again. “Sorry about that by the way. I didn’t know you were allergic.”</p><p>“Ah. How did you find out?” Akaashi looks a little shy himself.</p><p>Bokuto scuffed his shoes on the floor. “Hinata knows Tsukishima, who said that it was really good.”</p><p>Akaashi looks a bit embarrassed. “So he does. I should also apologize, I really would have eaten it if I could, it looked delicious. Tsukishima ate it up when I gave it to him. I’ve never seen him eat anything but strawberry shortcake like that.”</p><p>“Well, if you tell me what kind of pastries you like then I could make you one that you can eat.” Bokuto offers.</p><p>“Oh, you don’t have to go through that sort of trouble for me, I’ll just buy one from the store the next time I come.”</p><p>“I’m saying that I would like to get to know what sorts of things you like to eat.” Bokuto runs his hands through his hair and lifts his eyes from the floor to Akaashi. “I’ll be honest. Since I’ve noticed you coming to the shop, I think I sort of like you and… want to know if you’d go on a date with me.” Bokuto says, a little faster and louder than necessary, but he needed to get it out before he lost his nerve. Bokuto even clenched his eyes shut, bracing himself for the response when he heard a soft voice with a hint of disbelief say.</p><p>“Hold on, have you been flirting with me this whole time?” Bokuto peaks out of one eye and sees Akaashi looking at him with surprise.</p><p>“Yes! Well, maybe not very well. I just… wasn’t sure how to get you to notice me so I asked someone for advice, and I guess it didn’t go very well… I hope I didn’t come off as a creep or something, I just didn’t know how to ask a sophisticated guy as yourself on a date.” Bokuto admitted.</p><p>It was Bokuto’s turn to be surprised when he heard a gentle laugh. Akaashi’s face lit up as he chuckled. He had only ever seen Akaashi with a neutral face and found the joyful crinkle of the skin around his eyes highly attractive.</p><p>“I don’t know how sophisticated a man I am but I would be glad to go on a date with you.”</p><p>Bokuto’s whole body perked up like a puppy at that response.”Really! You mean it!”</p><p>“Yes, I will admit that even though I was a bit confused by your attempts at flirting, I did find you very charming.” Akaashi eyes are full of mirth. “Can you really crush a watermelon between your thighs?”</p><p>“I sure can! And I would be delighted to show you sometime! Do you want to exchange numbers?” Bokuto was already reaching for his phone.</p><p>“Sure, I’ll text you mine. I actually saved it when you gave it to me on the cup…” Akaashi says, a blush starting to appear on his face. Bokuto looks at him with wide eyes, both because of how attractive his face looked with the extra red and because of what he just said.</p><p>“Really? You saved it? Why didn’t you ever text me?”</p><p>Akaashi rubs his hands together. “Let’s just say you weren’t the only one who was interested and didn’t know what to do.”</p><p>Bokuto can't help but smile to himself, he didn't think it was possible to fall even more in love with this man, but he had a feeling he would be falling for a very long time.</p><p>---</p><p>Bonus:</p><p>“So he got the date with the guy” Atsumu mumbles. Bokuto’s mood had greatly improved since he confessed his feelings. And Atsumu's had dropped a little in response.</p><p>“Indeed he did” Meian responds</p><p>“And he did it without any of my suggestions…”</p><p>“Yea, sorry Atsumu, they just… weren’t Bokuto’s style.” Meian studied Atsumu.<br/>
Atsumu just pouts. “I’m way smoother than Bokuto, if it was me doing those things I would have succeeded on the first try” Meian gives him a solid pat on the back.</p><p>“Whatever you say.” Meian followed Atsumu’s grumpy gaze across the shop to where Sakusa was meticulously wiping down tables. “But if there's someone you're interested in and you're not making any progress, maybe you should change up your strategy. It did wonders for Bokuto."</p><p>Atsumu turns a little pink and grumbles before slinking away to somewhere else.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Helllooo!!! It is July 31st and the creators have been revealed!! :D</p><p>I sincerely hope you enjoyed this fic!!! I had a really fun time writing it!</p><p>I can be found here <a href="https://mellojello999.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a> + <a href="https://twitter.com/mellojello999">twitter</a> @mellojello999 !!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>